Armed man dies after shooting at Catholic church in Santa Ana

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Santa Ana Police detectives huddle underneath umbrellas at the scene where an armed man was fatally shot Sunday afternoon by Santa Ana police at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 1100 S. Center St., near McFadden Avenue in Santa Ana on Sunday, March 1, 2020. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Santa Ana detectives and officers investigate the scene where an armed man was fatally shot Sunday afternoon by Santa Ana police at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 1100 S. Center St., near McFadden Avenue in Santa Ana on Sunday, March 1, 2020. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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Santa Ana Police standby at the scene where an armed man was fatally shot Sunday afternoon by Santa Ana police at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 1100 S. Center St., near McFadden Avenue in Santa Ana on Sunday, March 1, 2020. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Santa Ana detectives and officers investigate the scene where an armed man was fatally shot Sunday afternoon by Santa Ana police at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 1100 S. Center St., near McFadden Avenue in Santa Ana on Sunday, March 1, 2020. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Santa Ana Police detectives huddle underneath umbrellas at the scene where an armed man was fatally shot Sunday afternoon by Santa Ana police at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 1100 S. Center St., near McFadden Avenue in Santa Ana on Sunday, March 1, 2020. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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Santa Ana Police standby at the scene where an armed man was fatally shot Sunday afternoon by Santa Ana police at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 1100 S. Center St., near McFadden Avenue in Santa Ana on Sunday, March 1, 2020. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

An armed man, possibly distraught over a relationship, died by gunfire Sunday afternoon, March 1, after he entered a Catholic church in Santa Ana and was confronted by police, a department spokesman said.

The man was wounded at the altar at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church at 1100 S. Center St. near McFadden Avenue, police said.

Initially, Santa Ana police reported that the man had been shot and killed by an officer in the holy building.

But on Monday Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said authorities did not know if the man died by officer gunfire or his own. Police said the man was possibly intending to harm himself.

In between Mass services on Sunday at about 4:20 p.m., congregants flagged down an officer who was on an unrelated call at a park across the street from the church, Bertagna said.

The officer radioed information in, went inside the church and found the man at the altar with a handgun in his hand, Bertagna said.

The officer fired at the suspect and hit him but it is unclear if that was the fatal shot, police said.

The man exited a back door and ran 100 feet outside before he collapsed on Center. He was pronounced dead at the scene with the gun he was carrying still in his possession.

An estimated 10 to 15 people, possibly a choir, were in the church at the time, police said.

“We understand he was distraught over a relationship,” Bertagna said. “We’re not sure if that’s why he was here.”

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office was going to investigate the incident.

Police Chief David Valentin said witnesses reported the man was distraught and possibly suicidal and that it didn’t appear he was planning a mass shooting.

While the shooting happened in the church, police said it did not otherwise involve the church. “We don’t believe this was related to the church,” Bertagna said.

According to the Diocese of Orange, the church has more than 6,300 members and conducts Mass in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

“It’s tragic, it really is,” the police chief said. “Any loss of life, it’s tragic. In this circumstance, it’s a place of worship. People come here for comfort, spiritual healing, support, so for this to happen here it’s traumatic for everyone involved.”

It wasn’t known how many shots were fired. It also wasn’t yet known if the suspect fired at officers or threatened them. Bertagna said investigators would be analyzing shell casings and any bullet holes.

The suspect’s name was withheld pending notification of family.

A Vote Center in the church was evacuated because of the incident, according to Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley. The voting center remained closed Monday while the investigation continued.

Maria Roque, 39, of Santa Ana was one of a handful of community members who walked to the church for Sunday evening Mass only to see it surrounded by yellow police tape with a large number of police vehicles nearby.

She, like others, was surprised to find out a shooting had taken place. She said friends were in the library inside the church when the shooting occurred, but they were all safe.

“It’s scary to think we’re not even safe here,” Roque said. “I’ve been coming here since I was 16 years old.”